David Tall, one of the organisers from the Rotary Club, was chairman of the committee when the run first started in 1983.

He said: “We are very lucky to have two great castles that are 10k apart for this race to happen.

“I didn’t believe it would ever work when it started all those years ago. I thought it was a silly idea and thought who would want to run.

“But it has just grown over the years and now with the internet more people are taking part. We are getting people from not all over the country, but all over the world too.” It is a fantastic day. Once you get to the end the atmosphere is very festive.”

"With the run coinciding with the opening, we just thought it would be a good start to let people know it is opening and show what support we have.”

A team of 25 students from the University of Warwick Medical School dressed as sunflowers and ran under the name Flower Power for Claire Freeman.

They were running in memory of 25-year-old Claire who had been studying at the university when she was diagnosed with cancer and died in December last year.

She spent her last few days at the St Francis Hospice in Birkamstead, Hertfordshire who the team were hoping to raise £700 for.

Claire’s mum, Kate Freeman, said: “It is very inspiring to see all Claire’s friends taking part.

Claire was only at the hospice for a couple of weeks but they were wonderful to her so her friends decided to raise money for them and the sunflowers were Claire’s favourite flower which is why they are wearing those.”